India look to return to winning ways against Singapore in AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers at home

India have only two points from three matches in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Indian Football team are determined to get their first win of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers when they host Singapore at the Fatorda Stadium (Goa) on Tuesday, 14 October 2025.

The Blue Tigers need to win their remaining qualifiers to have a real chance at making the Asian Cup, which is why this clash against a tenacious and unpredictable Singapore clash will be a do-or-die effort for Khalid Jamil’s men.

The Stakes

India

Indian Football team have not been able to win any of their AFC Asian Cup qualifiers so far, only picking up two points from a maximum of nine.

The odds are now stacked against them, and despite earning a valuable point away to Singapore in the next game, the Blue Tigers now need to amp up their performance levels. Khalid Jamil needs his side to not only be defensively unbreakable, but also smooth and efficient in their attacking moves.

He needs the players to be effective in troubling the defenders with clever link-up play and be especially clinical in actually finishing off chances.

India need to tap into their ruthless best to get a big win over Singapore, which could raise their momentum levels and get it back to competing for the top place in the group. Another draw or loss could, however, effectively end their dream of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup.

Singapore

Singapore saw their hard work in the last game against India undone by a silly error towards the end. That now ends up putting Gavin Lee’s side back to the wall as they aim to win back the top spot in the group from Hong Kong. That is why this is such a crucial game for Singapore, who will need to treat it like a final and put their all to get a win and place pressure back on Hong Kong in the battle for first place.

Singapore will need to be defensively much sturdier and error-free to frustrate India at their own yard, while they also need to be more decisive in the final third to really hurt the hosts. An away win for Singapore can catapult them right back into the reckoning for the top spot in the group, but a loss could potentially see them fall far behind in the race for first place.

Team News

Khalid Jamil will be without Sandesh Jhingan, who was sent off in the draw against Singapore. Subhasish Bose and Lalengmawia Ralte have joined the India squad and are in line to make an appearance.

Gavin Lee should have the same squad available as he did in the previous game against India.

Head-to-Head

Matches Played: 14

India wins: 4

Singapore wins: 7

Draws: 3

Predicted Lineups

India (4-4-2):

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK), Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Rahul Bheke, Anwar Ali, Muhammed Uvais, Nikhil Prabhu, Apuia, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad, Liston Colaco, Sunil Chhetri

Singapore (4-2-3-1):

Izwan Mahbud (GK), Hariss Harun, Ryhan Stewart, Safuwan Baharudin, Hami Syahin, Kyogo Nakamura, Ui-Young Song, Harhys Stewart, Shawal Anuar, Glenn Kweh, Ikhsan Fandi

Players to Watch

Liston Colaco (India)

Liston Colaco had a pretty eventful game in his first outing under Khalid Jamil for India in the recent draw against Singapore. The Mohun Bagan forward was quite impressive in terms of making speedy forward runs and at least in moving the ball forward through the wide areas. However, Liston’s final product was relatively awry and he needs to improve that to really make an impact against the Lions.

Colaco has that special spark in him to dart his way past defenders and cause chaos in the opposition half. However, he needs to be smarter and more decisive with his delivery, being accurate with his crosses and passes to send his teammates through in scorable positions. Moreover, Colaco also needs to be smart with his movement and clinical with his finishing to lead the charge for India and help them get a much-needed win.

Ikhsan Fandi (Singapore)

Ikhsan Fandi proved to be a real thorn for the Indian defenders in the recent game against the Blue Tigers, causing them trouble with his clever movement around the box. Fandi even scored a smart goal by capitalising on a lapse in concentration, but was unfortunate to see that not end up as the winning goal. Ikhsan will now look to pick up from where he left off against India and be an even more ruthless figure in the final third.

The Lions’ forward has to be clever with his movement and link-up play to drag defenders out of their comfort zone and create opportunities for himself and his teammates. Fandi will be aiming to be smart with his off-the-ball runs to sneak his way into the danger areas, but he’ll need to be absolutely clinical with his finishing for Singapore to get a commendable win over the Blue Tigers.

Did you know?

• The last time India defeated Singapore was in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in 2004.
• Singapore and India have both conceded two goals in their AFC Asian Cup qualifier group, the joint-lowest.
• India’s 1-1 draw against Singapore in their last game means they have scored in consecutive matches for the first time in 2025.

Telecast Details

The AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier between India and Singapore will take place on Tuesday, 14 October 2025 at the Fatorda Stadium, Goa. The match will kick off at 7:30 PM IST.

The match will be shown on the Star Sports Network and will be live-streamed on JioHotstar.

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